Scenographic apparatus.



No. 754,533. `PATEN'IED MAR. 15, 1904. E. VJ. AUSTEN. SGENOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 7. 1903.

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PATBNTED vMAR'. 15,1904.

y AE. J. AUSTEN.

SCENOGRAPHIG APPARATUS.

ArPLIoATIoN FILED 11110.?. 190s. lo 101m.. a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

.5. J. AUSTEN. SGBNOGRAPHIG APPARATUS. A

APPLICATION FILED DBU. 7. 1903.

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Patented March l5, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-Ica.

EDWARD J. AUSTEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SCENOGRAPHIG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' `Letters Patent No. 754,533, dated March 15, 1904.

Application lecl December 7, 1903. Serialllo. 184,155. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern: I

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. AUsTnN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at St. Louis, in the State ofMissouri, have in- 5 vented a new and useful Improvement in Scenographic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to scenographic apparatus, and has for its object to enable a scenograph representing an island, iceberg, coastline` headland, or the like to be moved steadily and' at anydesired rate along a body of real Water, the base of the scenograph being coincident with or submerged beneath the surface, and simultaneously to utilize the water in transit for producing realistic natural effects upon the various features of the scenograph or for operating mechanical devices in connection therewith.

The invention consists in features of novelty as hereinafter 'described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein- Figure lis a side elevation of my improved scenographic apparatus. as applied to a scenograph representing a floating iceberg; Fig 2,v

a top plan of the car or truck for supporting the scenograph combined with parts of the apparatus as seen in Fig. 1 detached; Fig. 3, an end elevation of the apparatus as seen from the left of Fig l; Figs 4: and 5, detail views to enlarged scale of parts of the apparatus as seen, respectively, in Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 6, a vertical longitudinal section to enlarged-scale through the spring-drum forming part of my invention and seen in broken lines in Fig. l, and Fig. 7 a vertical transverse section thereof on line 7 7 in Fig. 6.

Like letters and numerals of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

a is a scenograph representing an iceberg, which is supported on a oar or truck Z), provided with wheels l' and adapted to travel along the tracks c, which are fixed on the bottom or ioor of a tank d, containing water 2. On the car 6,-clear of the water 2, is mounted an electric motor e, which is adapted to rotate the shaft 3. On the shaft 3 is fixed 'a spurtoothed pinion 4, which engages a toothed wheel 5, fixed on a counter-shaft f, the latter being mounted in suitable bearings 6, fixed on the base 7 of the motor e. On the shaft f is fixed a toothed pinion 8, which engages a toothed wheel 9, mounted loosely on the motor-shaft 3, or any other suitable arrangement of gears may be used for reducing the speed of the motor-shaft 3. Formed on or xed laterally to the toothed wheel 9 and mounted therewith loosely on the motor-shaft 3 is a sprocket-wheel g. On the Hoor of the tank (Z, between the tracks c and longitudinally therewith and with the car is fixed a rackbar L, having teeth on its upperface, which are engaged by a toothed wheel c', fixed on a shaft j', which is mounted in suitable bearings 10, depending from and fixed to the framework of the car b. On the shaft j' is fixed a sprocket-wheel 7c, which is driven from the sprocket-wheel g on the motor-shaft 3 by a sprocketchain 1l, whereby on the rotation of the motor-shaft 3 and reducing-gears 4, 5, 8, and 9 the car with the scenograph c, is propelled along the tracks c. On the countershaft f is fixed an eccentric Z,(or crank,) which is connected by the rod m with the plunger 12 of a force-pump n, fixed on the car b clear of the water 2. The suction-pipe 13 of the pump n extends downward into the water 2 and the delivery-pipe 13' into a cistern or tank 0, which is preferably closed at the top and fixed to any convenient part of the scenograph out of view. from the auditorium of the building containing the apparatus. From the cistern 0 a pipe p extends toward the front of the scenograph a, where it is connected by a T-piece 14 with a pipe p, which is arranged longitudinally along the face of the scenograph or iceberg a and is perforated at suitable intervals along itsrentire length, the perforations 15 of the pipe p/ being so arranged as to cause the Water passing therethrough from the pipe p to flow uniformly and in a thin sheet or film over the surface of the iceberg a thereat, and thereby present to the view of a spectator in the auditorium the realistic effect of glistening ice. rIhe pipe p is hidden from View by an overhanging portion 16 of the scenograph.

The Wire cable o for supplying the electric current to the motor e is passed around and fixed near one end to the periphery of the drum s, made preferably of iron with removable ends, which is axially mounted and adapted to rotate loosely, clear of the water 2, on a shaft 18, xed in bearings 19, which are secured to the car Within the drum s, Fig. 6, is a spring t, which is coiled around and fixed at one end to the shaft 18 and at its other end to the drum 8. The end portion of the wire cable 'r Where it is fixed to the periphery of the drum s passes through a hole thereat into the interior of the drum s and thence through the hub of the latter, where the respective conductors are electrically connected with the distributing and collecting rings 20,

which rotate with the drum s and from Which the current is directed through suitable brushes 21 and wiring 7" to the motor e in the usual well-known manner. By this arrangement when the car is traveling in one direction, or, say,to the right, the Wire o is unwound from the drum s, which is thereby rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 7, and in so doing coils or winds up the spring t, and when traveling in the opposite direction the wire a' as it is slackened is Wound around or taken up by the rotation of the drum s in the opposite direction in obedience to the recoil of the spring t, whereby the wire 'l' is held taut in whatever position the car may be on the track c.

By this invention, owing to the water 2 acting as a resisting medium during the propulsion of the car b, a steadiness of movement, which is essential for perfecting the illusion of the gradual disappearance of' the scenograph from the view of the spectator in the auditorium, is obtained. Moreover, the action of the pump n and water effect on the scenograph are uniformly maintained during the entire transit of the car 5 and scenograph a across the eld of view.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In scenographic apparatus, the combination of a scenograph, a tank containing Water, a car mounted on Wheels and supporting the scenograph, the said car being adapted to travel along the floor of the tank Within the said water, a motor fixed on the car, a toothed rack fixed on the said fioor longitudinally with the car, a shaft mounted in bearings fixed to the car, a toothed Wheel fixed on the shaft and engaging the said rack, and means for rotating the shaft from the said motor, substantially as described.

2. In scenographic apparatus, the combination of a scenograph, a car mounted on Wheels and supporting the scenograph, an electric motor fixed on and adapted to propel the said car, a shaft suitably mounted on the car, a drum revoluble on the shaft, a coil-spring surrounding and connecting the shaft to the said drum, and a Wire fixed to and adapted to be wound around the drum, the said wire being electrically connected with the said motor, substantially as described.

3. In scenographic apparatus, the combination of a scenograph, a tank containing Water, a car mounted on Wheels and supporting the scenograph, the said car being adapted to travel along the floor of the tank within the said water, a motor fixed on and adapted to propel the said car, a cistern fixed on the car, a pump fixed to the car and operated by the said motor, the suction-pipe of the pump extend-A ing into the said water and the delivery-pipe into the cistern, and a perforated pipe in communication with the cistern, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD J. AUSTEN.

Witnesses:

G. L. BELFRY, EDWARD W. FURRELL. 

